“Real rest is the act of rejuvenating the inner person… the soul.”— Dr. Elliot Malamet

While we stay indoors during the cold, dark months, we must remember that the time of winter rest is crucial for the blossoming and ripening of spring.

The month of Shvat is a period of subtle renewal, and Tu B’shvat (often referred to as the Israeli Arbor Day) celebrates our beautiful and lifegiving friends, the trees. Falling on the 15th day of Shvat, the “New Year of the Trees” may be celebrated as an agricultural holiday or a day of ecological activism — or both!

During Shvat, we focus on self-nurturing. As the sap rises in the trees in preparation of bearing fruit, we take a moment to ready ourselves to embark on our own pursuits — this is part of the journey of renewal taught to us by the trees.

This week’s episode of Living Jewishly is an instalment of Sacred Time, a podcast exploring the healing art of the Hebrew calendar. In honour of the restful nature of Shvat, we offer a taste of our new learning and community platform, the School of Living Jewishly.

This episode shares an excerpt of a lesson called “Welcoming Shabbat,” from the Rest module of the Foundations course. Through this lesson, you’ll learn about the importance of rest to creation, the symbolism of different customs for candle-lighting, and the meaning behind the phrase “bringing in Shabbat.”

“Candle-lighting is the marker of transition — a liminal space between there and here, between the workweek and the realm of Shabbat.”— Bluth

This‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌

• How to create your own intimate and personal vessel to shape your experience of Shabbat
• The feminine energy and quality that underlies Shabbat — and how we forge connections with the divine
• The benefits of religious rituals and what to consider when preparing for a ritual

Highlights:‌ ‌

00:51 Intro

03:00 Wisdom & rest

04:16 Your vessel

05:58 Beginning with fire

08:03 Counting candles

12:19 The Sabbath Queen

15:34 “Bringing in Shabbat”

19:43 Preparing for ritual

23:30 Outro

Links:‌ ‌

Tu B’Shvat Manual

https://livingjewishly.org/tu-bshvat-manual-2022

School of Living Jewishly

https://www.schooloflivingjewishly.com

To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:

Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org

Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly

Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw

or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.

Shalom!